This is the warp that I’m currently working on. I’ve spliced in a piece of polyester satin ribbon on the loom, so that I can take off these pieces for finishing.

This is Gutermann silk sewing thread. It’s a very tightly twisted 3/100. It’s great for rendering this kind of small detail work. The long piece of strapwork on the right is going to be a neck-band for a name badge; it’s 28″ long in that one pattern. The other two pieces (and the remainder of the warp, about another 2 yards) will be bookmarks.

Closeup of the strapworks. The one in the middle is Celtic-style interlace; the other two are based on Renaissance trim patterns. The Renaissance trims are easy to do, since they follow a simple geometric repeat; the Celtic ones, I have to follow the chart line by line.

Closeup of the brocade designs. The brocading on these pieces is silk embroidery floss; the peacock feather is Kreinik Soie Platte, and the dragon is Zwicky multi-strand floss pulled down to a single strand. For some reason, the digital camera HATES the orange – it makes it look blurry, no matter how finely focused it may actually be.

That is just gorgeous. I especially like the peacock feather. My first though on seeing them was that you were making lanyards, but I’m guessing these have a higher intend purpose than to say, hold a security card for work.

That is just gorgeous. I especially like the peacock feather. My first though on seeing them was that you were making lanyards, but I’m guessing these have a higher intend purpose than to say, hold a security card for work.

Well, the short ones will be bookmarks – the long one will pretty much be a lanyard, though. I’m going to weave a lettered name tag, and I’m working with a silver-smithing friend to design the jewelry piece that will frame the name. I want something a little in-your-face for handweavers events – something that says, “Hi, my name is Michael” and at the same time says, “Hi, bow before my stunning virtuosity!”

Well, the short ones will be bookmarks – the long one will pretty much be a lanyard, though. I’m going to weave a lettered name tag, and I’m working with a silver-smithing friend to design the jewelry piece that will frame the name. I want something a little in-your-face for handweavers events – something that says, “Hi, my name is Michael” and at the same time says, “Hi, bow before my stunning virtuosity!”

Are you wanting to do tablet weaving, or Inkle weaving? I’m assuming it’s an inkle-type loom? Inkle is more straightforward; tablet has more design options. If you’re doing tablet, I can do a simple basic class in an hour or so.

Are you wanting to do tablet weaving, or Inkle weaving? I’m assuming it’s an inkle-type loom? Inkle is more straightforward; tablet has more design options. If you’re doing tablet, I can do a simple basic class in an hour or so.

Thanks! Yeah, getting to the point of being able to crank out this kind of stuff in sewing thread, was a few years of practice… you can get there if you want, though! I started working with sewing thread on the inkle loom pretty early, before I even touched tablets – it’s just smaller, it’s not more complicated.

Thanks! Yeah, getting to the point of being able to crank out this kind of stuff in sewing thread, was a few years of practice… you can get there if you want, though! I started working with sewing thread on the inkle loom pretty early, before I even touched tablets – it’s just smaller, it’s not more complicated.

I find that a lot of people who have done threaded-in patterns, are amazed to find how simple double-face is; reading the chart line by line is tedious, but it’s SO much simpler to thread up and get going.

I find that a lot of people who have done threaded-in patterns, are amazed to find how simple double-face is; reading the chart line by line is tedious, but it’s SO much simpler to thread up and get going.

My brain boggles at the level of detail you can get to in this kind of thing. I love knotwork lots and lots, but the dragon and the feather make me want to sit and pet the shiny shiny things for a long time 🙂

My brain boggles at the level of detail you can get to in this kind of thing. I love knotwork lots and lots, but the dragon and the feather make me want to sit and pet the shiny shiny things for a long time 🙂

I got the 8×0 needles at Lacis. I prefer the needles from Bag Lady because they are a little less flexible and have slightly rounder points, but the smallest size there is 6×0. BugKnits sells even smaller needles, but I haven’t tried them out yet.

I entered a knitting competition, How Low Can You Go, 2 years ago. I started out with the 8×0 needles with silk sewing thread, but realized I wouldn’t be able to finish a 4″ x 4″ swatch in time, so I entered a piece on either 5×0 or 6×0 needles with silk top stitching thread (my favorite fingerloop braid thread) that was 25 sts/in.

After that I started a tube at the 35 sts/in gauge that is a permanent part of the Knitting to a Period Gauge class that I teach occasionally in the SCA. It is my “this is smaller than you’ll ever need to work, but try it out just to see what it’s like” sample.

I got the 8×0 needles at Lacis. I prefer the needles from Bag Lady because they are a little less flexible and have slightly rounder points, but the smallest size there is 6×0. BugKnits sells even smaller needles, but I haven’t tried them out yet.

I entered a knitting competition, How Low Can You Go, 2 years ago. I started out with the 8×0 needles with silk sewing thread, but realized I wouldn’t be able to finish a 4″ x 4″ swatch in time, so I entered a piece on either 5×0 or 6×0 needles with silk top stitching thread (my favorite fingerloop braid thread) that was 25 sts/in.

After that I started a tube at the 35 sts/in gauge that is a permanent part of the Knitting to a Period Gauge class that I teach occasionally in the SCA. It is my “this is smaller than you’ll ever need to work, but try it out just to see what it’s like” sample.

The smallest I’ve made a real item was at 18 sts/in. Unfortunately, due to a miscalculation, that over-the-knee stocking didn’t fit, but it makes a great teaching tool. I’m holding off on making another one until I have a clearer idea of what kind of silk was used for stocking knitting in 15th and 16th century Europe, particularly Italy and Spain.

The smallest I’ve made a real item was at 18 sts/in. Unfortunately, due to a miscalculation, that over-the-knee stocking didn’t fit, but it makes a great teaching tool. I’m holding off on making another one until I have a clearer idea of what kind of silk was used for stocking knitting in 15th and 16th century Europe, particularly Italy and Spain.

This is my 2nd attempt at it. The first was the tangled Australian warp of Doom. Which I fully intend to untangle and make work, now I understand the structure of tablet weaving a lot better than I did.

This is my 2nd attempt at it. The first was the tangled Australian warp of Doom. Which I fully intend to untangle and make work, now I understand the structure of tablet weaving a lot better than I did.

The one thing I dislike most about Crockett’s book, is the way she warps. I learned from it, but it was an uphill struggle all the way. If you can possibly warp the cards under tension, you save yourself about 3/4 of the headache.

The one thing I dislike most about Crockett’s book, is the way she warps. I learned from it, but it was an uphill struggle all the way. If you can possibly warp the cards under tension, you save yourself about 3/4 of the headache.